Saint for the day: Luke, Evangelist (1st Century)

Scripture Readings for today’s Liturgy:

2 Timothy 4:10-17    –    Psalm 145    –    Luke 10:1-9

“Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’” (the last verses of today’s Gospel according to Luke)

The above encouraging quote is just half of what our following of Jesus is all about. The first scripture reading from 2 Timothy is the “other bookend” of our Xtian life: yes, there will be disappointments and hardships but we have been promised, “the Lord will never leave us.” Trusted people might turn on us and leave us, but the verse quoted above from the ending of today’s Gospel assures us that “the Kingdom of God is at hand…”

Most of us, when confronted with some hardship or trial, (our own personal ‘Agony in the Garden’) run away naked instead of praying, “… not my will but thane be done.” (Luke 22:42) We forget that the Gospels were at first the preached story of Jesus which began with the account of his resurrection and then, gradually worked backwards – filling in the blanks. This is significant for us: it’s the Resurrection of Jesus that is key and gives us the hope that “…those who follow me will never die … but live forever.” (John 11:25)

There is one more significant factor to consider: Luke was not a Jew and therefore didn’t have that connection that the other evangelists had with following all the Jewish laws. The middle of the quote at the beginning of this reflection: “…eat what is set before you and cure the sick” is key to our following Jesus. It seems that we are warned not to think that “the Law” will give us freedom. Just look at what “laws” have done to us all throughout our world. Jesus sets us free. Laws (often) tie our hands. Jesus promises that he will never leave us. Laws push us further and further away from the possibility of realizing that the ”Kingdom of God is within.”(Mark 1:15)